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Mirabelle Plums & Almond Frangipane Tart

August 30, 2010

I have not been here a week yet and my heart is already replenished and my eyes filled with beautiful memories. I keep catching myself throughout the day thinking "I can’t believe I am here". It’s good to go home and see all my cousins for a joyous occasion for once. I’ve been enjoying my mom’s wonderful cooking, let my nose take me to the cheese box and renewed my love affair with the most fragrant cantaloupes, Saturn peaches, and tiny mirabelles. I’m in complete bliss.

On Saturday my grandfather gathered the family for a celebration of his 100th birthday. As he said, never in his life did he imagine that the family that he and my grandmother started at 2 would grow to an intimate (!) group of 50 - children, grandchildren, great grandchildren (and their spouses). That’s us. We as a whole function as a giant tribe composed of many smaller clans. It’s joyous. It’s loud. It’s everywhere and all at once. It’s tensed and climatic. It’s pretty darn awesome when I get to be there (and so grateful my uncle took this photo!).

When you think that there are exactly 100 years between my grandfather and his last great granddaughter, well you are slightly inclined to smell the roses and open up the bubbly! And celebrate we did! My cheeks hurt so much from laughing and smiling as I looked over my shoulders to see my cousins now all grown up and parents of their own.

As I said, my heart is full. Even fuller now that I got to spend quality time with my brother’s children for a few days. Because of their age difference we were able to take full advantage of both their rhythms and while Camille was napping, Lea and I spent time baking and chatting about life and other “very serious things” (her words!).

We did have a little baking spree last Thursday afternoon and kept the oven quite busy while filling my parents’ home with the most captivating scents of cardamom, mirabelles, honey, almonds,… A perfectly golden Tarte Aux Mirabelles was the reward of an afternoon of rolling, mixing and whipping.

Perfect sun gold tiny mirabelles from a neighbor’s garden with soft as silk pulp and just enough juice to keep you busy licking your fingers clean. Time to pit the mirabelles literally flew by as we talked and laughed. While I was taking care of the fruit, Lea rolled the remainder of a pate sable my mom had made a few days prior and I started on the almond filling. I noticed that my love for stone fruits and frangipane is a family thing. Lea was all about it too. Of course! She’s my niece…ehehe!

We are leaving the cool weather of Paris tomorrow for the sunny terrain of the Hautes Alpes and Provence and where I grew up and finally taking a little detour to go to Toulouse in the South West to be with my brother on his turf for a couple of days. It’s going to be a few packed days of driving and visiting!

Can’t wait to show you more of the gorgeous scenery and foods of the South of France.

Tarte Frangipane Mirabelles - Almond and Mirabelles Tart

Serves 8-10

Note: you can substitute mirabelles with any stone fruit that you favor. If you are not baking gluten free, replace the rice, millet, sorghum flours and cornstarch with 1.5 cups of all purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.

Prepare the crust:In a mixer, whip the butter on medium speed until light and airy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Mix until incorporated. Add the salt, and all the different flours, and the xantham gum and mix briefly. Add some water, one tablespoon at a time if the dough feels too dry. Dump the whole mixture onto a lightly floured (use more rice flour) board and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.Preheat oven to 350F and position a rack in the center.When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board or in between two sheets of plastic to fit your prefered pie pan. If the dough tears while you roll or/and transfer into the pan, just patch it with your fingertips. Line the dough with a piece of parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dy beans and par bake for 10-15 minutes until almost completely baked. Remove the weights and parchment paper. At this point you can refrigerate the baked crust for up to 3 days before using.

Prepare the almond filling and mirabelles topping:Place the butter, honey, ground almonds, and the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth (can also be done in a food processor). Add the cream and cardamom but stir in it instead of whisking not to emulsify it or it will rise while baking.Arrange the mirabelles halves at the bottom of the pie crust and pour the cream over them. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350F. Drizzle with a bit of extra honey if desired when still warm.

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comments:

You're inspiring...we can actually feel your heart full of joy and serenity. I can totally understand you, living far from your birth place could end up emotional some times. Enjoy, get richer and laugh out loud Martina

Gorgeous! I just discovered mirabelles last week at the market, and love them! Loving this series of posts abut visiting your family and home, it makes me miss visiting mine very much. I am learning very quickly that is one of the biggest challenges of living an ocean away from so many loved ones, and I am def. already looking forward to what I am sure will be deeply treasured memories on my own next visit "home".

Beautiful tart! I've met for the first time Mirabelles in Aix en Provence this summer. I tought they were cherries (I don't speak French) then I tried one of them and.. mmmhhhm! sweet as honey, soft, juicy! I loved them in the very moment!

what a gorgeous post... thank you for sharing yet another glimpse into the beauty of your life. i am excited to try this tart, perhaps with the plums that are just appearing at the farmers' market. cheers to you and yours!

I come from a HUGE family myself so I know how crazy fun it is to be with everyone all at a time!That's a beautiful post and don't even wanna say anymore that how awesome all the pictures look in your posts!

What a lovely, lovely tart! I just ate the last of a prune plum tart with custard filling for breakfast today, but those golden Mirabelles are even prettier than quetsches! I like that this tart is thick - it looks very sturdy.

The InTolerant Chef: I do understand what you are saying but I never feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. I often tell people, friends or work related "This is me, and I'm cool with me, and if you're not cool with me, well then, that's you."

I can't imagine a more timely post as I love frangipane tarts and was recently looking for a recipe! Your holiday sounds amazing and ooooh, that tart pan? So pretty! My grandfather always played petanque with us on the beach when we were kids at their Quebec cottage. Ah, memories!

I'm glad you're having a good time. I have to say, as much as I love your food shots (and I do) I am really enjoying your portrait photography. I noticed something different about your portraits way back when you posted that picture of the bread baker. A lot of photographers take nice pictures of people- you really capture the essence of your subject in an artful way. They're very compelling and I love seeing them.

Wow, you beuatifuk pictures really make me wanna be there. And your brownie ice cream tart simply too good to look at!! I must try making some one of these days. Thanks so much for all the wonderfull sharing.... It's so inspiring.

I noticed something different about your portraits way back when you posted that picture of the bread baker. A lot of photographers take nice pictures of people- you really capture the essence of your subject in an artful way. They're very compelling and I love seeing them.

Thank you for posting such intimate, touching moments and such fantastic gluten-free recipes! I've tried this particular recipe twice, and would like to know what the final consistency of the frangipane should be. Mine seems to be quite soft and not very firm, even after 30-40min. in the oven. Is it supposed to be this way?

Helene, I just want to tell you how thrilled I am to have found this recipe! Last night I made an apple galette using this crust, and today I served it to my friends at work (lest I eat the entire thing myself) and they loved it! Several said that they would never know that the crust was gluten free. I've tried other gf crust recipes with poor results - so am beside myself with happiness! I'm sorry that you had to go gf, but I am thrilled that you've been able to adapt your recipes to accommodate the needs to the gf diet. I love your blog and plan to try more of your lovely recipes.